Method of and apparatus for feeding tobacco to cigarette-making or tobacco-packaging machines



March 7, 1939. w, MOLINS 2,149,925 METHOD OF AND APPARATUS FOR FEEDING TOBACCO TO CIGARETTE-MAKING on TOBACCO-PACKAGING MACHINES Filed June 25, 1955 6 Sheets-Sheet l @Y@ 7 179 A: F l@ 166 II; 152 W 6. %;E/VTOH' I 27% "m March 7, 1939. E. MO NS 2,149,925

METHOD OF AND APPARATUS F FEEDING O ACCO TO CIGARETTE-MAKI OH TOBACCO-PACKAGING MACHIN Filed June 25, 1955 6 Sheets-Sheet 2 March 7, 1939. E. MOLINS 2,149,925

METHOD OF AND APPAR S F0 EEDING T 000 TO CIGARETTE-MAKING TOBACCO-L KAGI MACHINES Filed e 25, 1935 6 Sheets-Sheet 3 March 7, 1939. w o s 2,149,925 METHOD OF AND APPARATUS FOR FEEDING TOBACCO TO CIGARETTEMAKING on TOBACCO-PACKAGING MACHINES March 7, 1939. w MQLINS 2,149,925 METHOD OF AND APPARATUS FOR FEEDING TOBACCO TO CIGARETTE-MAKING OR TOBACCO-PACKAGING MACHINES Filed June 25, 1935 6 Sheets-Sheet 5 haw: W M.

' M MVMI E. MOLINS 2,149,925

6 Shegts-Sheet 6 March 7, 1939. w

METHOD OF AND APPARATUS FOR FEEDING TOBACCO T0 CIGARETTE-MAKING OR TOBACCO-PACKAGING MACHINES Filed June 25, 1935 -II "I Patented Mar. 7, 1939 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE METHOD OF AND APPARATUS FOR FEED- ING TOBACCO '1'0 CIGARETTE-MAKING OR TOBACCO-PACKAGING MACHINES Application June 25, 1935, Serial No. 28,348 In Great Britain July 20, 1934 24 Claims.

This invention is for an improved method of and apparatus for feeding tobacco to cigarette making or tobacco packaging machines.

It has hitherto been customary in feeding cut tobacco to comb out tobacco from an irregular mass and shower it over a moving surface to form what is known as a carpet, this being based on the principle that as the thickness of the carpet is built up by the shower, the known irregularities ever present in the shower are spread, intermixed, averaged or equalized.

This previous method of feeding tobacco is open to the objection that the equalization is largely a matter of chance, as there is no controlling or compensating factor. For instance, any heavy portions of the carpet may be receiving successive heavy portions of the shower, there being no positive factor (apart from probability) to ensure that heavy portions of the car pet shall receivecompensating lighter portions of shower.

Whereherein the term forwardly is used it shall mean the general direction in which the tobacco is fed by the tobacco feeding apparatus to the cigarette making or tobacco packaging machine.

According to one form of the present invention there is provided in the feeding of tobacco to a cigarette making or tobacco packaging machine, a method of forming a tobacco carpet byfeeding tobacco forwardly to a position at which its velocity is reduced whilst simultaneously confining said tobacco within a passage or a chamber which embraces the region of reduction of velocity in such a manner that compacting of tobacco is brought about by compression produced by said reduction of velocity in said passage or chamber.

According to another form ofthe invention there is provided in the feeding of tobacco, forming a carpet of tobacco on the surface of a conveyor, moving the carpet forwardly to a position at which its velocity is reduced and confining it within predetermined limits of thickness at or in the region of that position.

According to a further form of the present invention there is provided in a cigarette making or tobacco packaging machine, a method of feeding tobacco comprising the steps of forming tobacco into a carpet on the surface of a conveyor, moving the carpet forwardly to a position at which its velocity is reduced whilst simultaneously confining the carpet transversely of its direction of movement within a passage or a chamber which embraces theregion of reduction of velocity in such manner that compacting of the carpet is brought about by compression produced by said reduction of velocity in said passage or chamber, and transferring tobacco from the compacted carpet to the cigarette making or tobacco packaging machine (e. g., by picking and showering it into the trough of the machine).

In a still further form of the present invention there is provided in a cigarette making or tobacco packaging machine, a method of feeding tobacco to the machine, said method consisting in forming a tobacco carpet by building it up endwise, taking tobacco away from the opposite end of the carpet to that at which it is built up and delivering the tobacco so removed to the machine.

Again, according to the present invention there is provided in the feeding of tobacco to a cigarette making or tobacco packaging machine, a method of forming a tobacco'carpet by feeding shreds or versely of their direction of movement within a chamber or a passage which embraces the region of reduction of velocity in such manner that the carpet is built up endwise within the chamber or passage.

In another form according to the present invention there is provided in the feeding of tobacco to a cigarette making or tobacco packaging machine a method of forming a tobacco carpet by feeding shreds or particles of tobacco forwardly into a chamber or a passage, impeding the exit of the tobacco from the chamber or passage, and removing the tobacco from the chamber or passage'with a velocity which is less than that at which it enters, whereby a tobacco carpet is built up in the chamber orpassage from the shreds or particles of tobacco.

Still further according to the present invention there is provided in or for tobacco feeding apparatus, conveyor means to feed a carpet of tobacco forwardly, a device disposed in. the path of the carpet to impede its forward movement, said device being movable to feed the carpet forwardly with a slower velocity than that at which it is moved by the conveyor and control means operative upon and arranged transversely of the carpet considered in the direction of movement thereof, said control means being disposed at and in the region of the point at which the velocity particles of tobacco-forwardly to a position at which their velocity is reduced, whilst simultan'e-- ously confining the shreds or particles transof tobacco carpet is changed to confine the tothereisprovidedinorfortobaccofeedingapparammeanstofeedseparatedshredsorparthclesoftobaccointoachamberorpassageprm' tobacco carpet by building up the same endwise,

'sageintowhichshredsorparticlesoftobacco saidcomprisingachamberorapasare moved (e. g., by showering), the chamber or e having at-least two oppositely disposed ovable surfaces each of which is movable in the same general direction to move the carpet forwardlyasitisbuiltupandadevicedisposedat theoutletofthechamberoretoimpede the exit of the carpet, said device being operative to remove the carpet from the chamber or passage at a slower rate than that at which tobacco is moved thereinto to form the carpet. The conveyor may comprise a smooth movable surface, e. g., a rotatable drum, or an endless band and the control means may comprise a member or members disposed above the conveyor to engage with the upper surface of the carpet, the surface-or surfaces of said member or members which engage with the carpet being either stationary or movable in the direction in which the or passage due to the. reduction of velocity of the tobacco in said chamber or passage.

Again, there is provided in or for tobacco feeding apparatus, a e, means to feed tobacco through the passage and a carded surface arranged to receive tobacco as it issues from the passage and arranged to remove said tobacco at a slower velocity than that at which the tobacco entered the p.

The invention will now be more particularly described by way of example with reference to the accompanying drawings. in which:-

flgure 1 is a sectional view of one form of tobacco feeding apparatus co in accordance with the invention.

Figure 2 is a sectional view showing a portion of Figure 1 drawn to an enlarged-scale.

Figure 3 is a sectional view of a portion of F'lgureldrawntoanenlargedscalean'dshowing a modified form of the invention.

Figure 4 is a front elevation, with parts broken away, of the apparatus as viewed from the left of Figure 2.

F'igure5isa sectionaiviewofafurthermodifled form of the invention.

Figure6isasideview,drawntoanenlarged scale, of the form of the tobacco-feeding mechanism shown in section in Figure 1.

Figure'lisaviemv'vithsomepartsomitted, takenonthesideoftheoppositeto that of Figure 6.

vFigureiiisaview,withpartsbrohsnaway,

oftheapparatusasviewedinthedirectimof thearrowlofF'lgure-t Hkereferenoesrefertollkepartsthroughout .thespecificationand-dra Referring to Figures 1 and 2, tobacco iscon--- tained ins hopper iyandissupported in'the hopperbyarollerrlwhichfeedsthemassof tobacco towardsacombingrollerl. The comb.- ingrollertakesaquantityoftobaccofromthe masscontainedinthehopperlandcarriesit upwardly as shown .by the arrow. The tobacco The brushing-roller l'is by means ofv aratchet wheel Ill (Fig. 6) and pawl Iii, which latter is carried him arm is: pivoted on the shaft of the roller I. The arm I82 is oscillated by means of a rod in which connects the arm I52 with an eccentric strapl mounted on an eccentric I fixed to the shaft I" referred to later. Apawl I prevents the ratchet wheel I" from running in the reverse direction and an adjustable brake band I", Figure 7, prevents the roller 5, which is of considerable weight,

from overrunning.

A rotary cleaning device I is provided for cleaning the surface of the-brushing roller I and is driven by a pulley IS! on the spindle of the pickerroller I referred to'below, the pulley I being connectedto another pulley I" on the spindle of the rotary cleaner III by a belt Iii. In the junction formed between the rollers 3 and I a roll of tobacco may be formed and maintained from which tobacco is taken by the combing roller 3. The raking device 4 is arranged to'rake and to trim the roll of tobacco in a known manner, whilst a presser device .I is arranged periodically to press the tobacco roll -against the carding of the combing roller 3.

The mechanism for operating the raking and pressing devices is described later with refer.- ence to Figures 6 and '7. The raking device 4 and pressing device 6 do not form any part of the present invention, but are described as constituting elements which assist in the feeding of tobacco from the hopper l.

After the tobacco carried by the combing roller l'has passed beneath the brushing roller 5 it is carried to a point at which spring comb elements I press the tobacco against the combing roller whilst a picker roller 0 is arranged to pick the tobacco from the combing roller 3 and to shower it on to the surface of a smooth roller 9.

The roller 9 is rotated with a velocity such that the shreds or particles of' tobacco showered on to the surface of the roller, by the picker roller U do not become superimposed one uponv the other to form a carpet, but are maintained as far as possible in a substantially separated condition. (This is the meaning to be given herein to the word separated when referring 'to tobacco shreds or particles.) The shreds or thereafter moved beneath a shroud II. -It will be seen from Figures 1 and 2 that the surface of the roller 9, together with theroller I0 and shroud II and side walls 40 (see Figure 4) form a chamber or passage into which the shreds or particles of tobacco are passed, the entrance to the chamber being open whilst at the outlet end of the chamber there is provided a rotatable carded roller l2, whose direction of rotation is opposite to that of the smooth roller 9, and which rotates at a peripheral speed less than that of the smooth roller 9 and thus impedes the forward movement of the tobacco.

The shroud II is bent upwardly at the inlet end of the chamber to form a bell mouth, and at the opposite end is brought as close as possible to the surface of the carded'roller I2, whilst allowing for any movement to be imparted to the shroud. The side walls 40 consist of flat plates fixed to the frames of the machine so that they embrace the end faces of the roller 9 and the shroud II. They are not shown in Figures 6 and 7, to avoid obscuring other parts of the mechanism, but their shape is clear from Figure 2.

The inner face or surface of the shroud II is substantially parallel to the surface of the roller 9, but it is found that a very slight convergence of the surfaces 9 and II from the inlet end to the outlet can be used, provided that the convergence is not so great as to cause choking or jamming in the chamber.

The shreds or particles of tobacco are carried by the roller 9 into the chamber and their exit therefrom is impeded by the roller I2 which has a slower peripheral speed than has the roller 9 so that a carpet of tobacco is built up endwise within the chamber, and the tobacco is at the same time confined Within predetermined crosssectional limits by the confining walls of the chamber or passage. The roller I2 removes tobacco from the carpet built up within the chamher at a slower rate than that at which the tobacco is fed into the chamber.

Beneath the carded roller I2 is a concave shroud I3 which is'just clear of the carding of the roller I2, and which acts as a scraper on the surface of the smooth roller 9, so that the tobacco carpet is removed from the faster moving roller 9 and is carried away positively by the teeth of the carded roller I2 at the opposite end to that at which the carpet is built up. The tobacco which is taken by the roller I2 and carried over the surface of the concave shroud I3 is picked therefrom by a picker roller I4, and is showered into a trough I5 of the machine to which the tobacco is being fed. The trough I5 shown in the drawings represents a well known form of trough used on continuous rod cigarette making machines, or the trough may be used on a tobacco packaging machine in which, for example, a continuous tobacco rod filler is formed.

The carpet which is built up in the chamber is continuously moved towards the roller I2 and in the constructions shown in Figures 1, 2 and 4, in order to assist the forward movement of the tobacco towards the roller I2, the shroud II is carried by links I6 and I! which are mounted on eccentric spindles I8 and I9 rotatably supported in brackets I39 fixed to the machine frame as shown in Figures 6, '7 and 8. In Figure 6 the bracket is broken to expose the shroud II. The spindles are rotated as described belo by means driven from the main drive of the machine. The effect of the rotation of the spindles I8 and I9 is to cause the shroud II to move through a curvilinear path, so that the shroud approaches and recedes from the surface of the smooth roller 9, and when it is in the position at which it is nearest to the surface of the roller 9, the under surface of the shroud H is moving in the same general direction as that in which the surface of the roller 9 is moving. The speed of the shroud is slower than the peripheral speed of the roller 9, but greater than the peripheral speed of the roller I2.

It will be appreciated that instead of the shroud II being movable as above described, it may be secured in a fixed position, and in such cases the tobacco carpet formed in the chamber is moved forwardly towards the roller I2 entirely by the action of the roller 9. It is found, however, that the moving shroud l I is better in practice than a stationary shroud.

Referring to Figure 6, the picker roller I 4, spindles I8 and I9, and the roller I0, all receive motion from a belt I23 which is secured to a pulley on a shaft not shown, which is driven by a motor or other suitable means. Belt I23, as will be seen from Figure 6 after passing round a guide pulley I36, drives a pulley I24 secured to the spindle I25 of the picker roller I4, and also rotates a pulley I31 fixed to a spindle I26 to which is secured a. gear wheel I 21 (see Figure 8) the gear wheel I21 meshing with gears I28 and I29 secured to the spindles I8 and I9 respectively. The belt I23 also drives a pulley I30 secured to a shaft I3I which also carries the picker roller 8 on which shaft is secured a further pulley I32 which is connected by a belt I33 with a pulley I34 on the shaft I35 of the roller I0. To permit belt I23 to clear the spindle I35 -it passes over a jockey pulley I38 loosely mounted on said spindle,

The belt I00 drives a pulley IOI secured to a shaft I02. To the shaft I02 there is secured a gear wheel I03, with which meshes a gear wheel I04 secured to a spindle I05: To the spindle I05 there is also secured a gear wheel I06 which meshes with a gear wheel 101 secured to a spindle I08, and to the spindle I08 there is secured a gear wheel I09 which meshes with a gear wheel IIO secured to a shaft III. shaft III there is secured a further gear wheel I I2 which meshes with a gear wheel I I3 secured to the shaft II4 of the carded combing roller 3. Four of the gears just referred to lie in one plane and four in another plane behind the first four. The four gears at the rear are indicated by vertical shading. Tothe shaft III there is also secured a sprocket I I5 and a chain I I6 connects the sprocket II 5 with a sprocket II! secured to a shaft II8 on which is secured a gear wheel II9 meshing with a gear wheel I20, the gear wheel I20 meshing with a further gear wheel I2I secured to the shaft I22 of the carded roller I2.

Referring more particularly to Figure 6, the shaft II4 of the combing roller carries a sprocket I65 which is connected by a chain I66 to another sprocket I61 fixed on the shaft of the feeding roller 2 and said roller is thereby rotated at the proper speed.

On the shaft I08 behind the eccentric I56 is 'frontoftheeccentriclllisconnectedbyachain I'I2 to a sprocket ill at the upper part of the figure. This sprocketis fixed on a stub shaft I'll mounted in a bearing Ill and on the other end ofthestubshaftisacrank Illcarryingacrank pin I'll to which is attached a connecting rod I'll. The upper end of the connecting rod-is pivoted to a lever I'l'l on a shaft I'Il mounted in bearings I'll at the top of the hopper so that as the crank disc rotates the shaft I'll is oscillated. Two short levers Ill are fixed to the shaft I'll and at their free ends carry projections, not shown, which rest against two levers Ill, loosely mounted on the shaft Ill. Therefore, as the shaft oscillates in one direction these levers are raised. In Figure 1 the parts ill, I", I'll, Ill, Ill and Ill are also indicated and from that figure it will be seen that each lever ill just referred to constitutes the upper lever of a parallel link system completed by a lever Il2 pivoted to the foot of the bearing, and a link Ill attached to the free ends-of levers Ill and "2. An extension of link Ill carries the presser l which is thus periodically lifted and then permitted to fall to a position determined by the quantity of tobacco present, 1. e., the roll in the junction between rollers l and I.

Another link Ill attached to the connecting rod at point Ill is attached at its other end to a short crank or lever Ill. The latter is .fixed at its other end to the spindle Ill which supports the raking device 4 which is therefore oscillated at regular intervals to rake and trim the roll of tobacco.

In all the chain gearing above described with reference to Figures 6 and 7, small sprockets are shown which serve as chain tighteners and/or guides to keep the chains in the proper paths to avoid fouling other portions of the machinery. These sprockets have not been referred to in detail, as it is not considered necessary.

In a modified form of the invention, as illustrated in Figure 3, the shroud II is replaced by a plurality of juxtaposed rollers 20, the axes of rotation of the rollers being disposed on a line substantially parallel with the periphery of the roller 9 with or without the slight convergence towards the exit mentioned in connection with the shroud II. The longitudinal axes of the rollers are parallel with the surface of the roller 9. The rollers 20 are rotated in the direction indicated in Figure 3, but the surface speed of the rollers 20 is less than the surface speed of the roller 9 and greater than that of the roller I2. Side walls 40' are provided and operate in the manner previously described with reference to Figure 2. A plate ll is provided between the rollers 28 and I2 respectively if it is found that the gap between the rollers is so large as to adversely affect the packing of the tobacco within the restricted space inside the chamber.

In this modified form of the invention the carpet is built up endwise within the'chamber or passage in the manner previously described, and the carpet is fed forwardly towards the roller I2 by the action of the rollers l and N, and'tobacco is taken away by the roller I2 from the leading end of the carpet as in the previous example.

In a further modified form of the invention as shownin Figure 5, the-shroud is constituted byanendlessbandII orbyaphlralityofendless bandsandthesurfacespeedofthebandorbands islessthantheperipheralspeedofthesmooth band ll but greater than that of the roller I2. Inthisexamplathetobaccmaswillbeseenfroni the drawings, is showered onto an endless band ll having a non-carded surface and reinforcing platesliandflareprovlded. Asintheconstruction shown in Figure 3, a plate ll is protively, a series of juxtaposed rollers could be ar-" ranged to form the top wall of the control chamber.

In all the examples given, the height of-the moving surface of the shroud above the smooth roller or the endless band is equal to the thickness of carpet desired, but in the construction shown in Figures 1 and 2 where the height of the shroud II continuously varies, the thickness of the carpet will be equal to the distance of the shroud from the roller 9 when those two are nearest to one another.

It will be understood that the opposed walls of the chambers may, if desired, diverge slightly from the inlet end towards the outlet instead of being exactly parallel or slightly convergent. The side walls 40, however,.may be given, if desired, a greater degree of divergence or convergence since they are a considerable distance apart and only act on the tobacco at the extreme edges of the carpet, which, as is well known, may be of considerable width.

It will be seen that the main body of the tobacco forming the carpet which is greater in width than in thickness is confined solely between the surfaces which engage the top and bottom respectively of the carpet, and the side guides ll have little or no effect on the carpet except to keep the edges under proper control.

If necessary, the height of the shroud above the smooth roller or conveyor may be adjustable either manually or automatically to prevent the length of the endwise built carpet becoming either too small or too big. If the length (considered in the direction of movement) of the endwise built carpet becomes too small there is a danger of it being taken away wholly by the carded roller I2. On the other hand, if the length of the carpet becomes too great, there will be a danger of a large accumulation of tobacco at the entrance of the shroud, whereby the feed will become choked. In addition to or instead of altering the height of the shroud the speed of the moving surfaces may be altered to take more or less tobacco to the carded roller I2, or again, the quantity of tobacco fed to the smooth roller l or smooth belt 90, may be varied in any suitable way. Any two or more of these adjustments may be made simultaneously either manually or automatically.

In another modified form of the invention, instead of rotating the roller l or the belt ll at a speed such that the shreds or particles of tobacco received from the picker roller l are-arranged in a separated condition on the surface of the roller l or belt ll (as described in the previous examples) the roller or belt as the case may be, in any of 'the alternative constructions, may be given a surface speed such that the tobacco showered from the picker 8 is formed into a carpet on the surface of the roller 9 or belt 90 in the usual manner, that is, the manner customary when the tobacco is showered on to a carded surface. The tobacco carpet so formed is passed beneath the-compression roller I0 and into the chamber or passage previously described, and its forward movement is impeded by the roller I2 as above described. In this form of the invention, the roller I! has a slower peripheral speed than that of the smooth roller 9 or belt 90, and the carpet is therefore fed into the chamber or passage with a greater velocity than that at which it is removed from the chamberor passage by the roller H. The carpet is in this way packed or gathered in its direction of movement, and has when it is removed from the chamber by the slower moving carded roller l2, a more uniform density than have tobacco carpets formed in the usual well known manner. The roller I2 constitutes a resistance or impediment to the forward movement of the carpet at its original velocity, so that the tobacco is gathered lengthwise of the carpet, and the densityof the sparsely filled portions of the carpet is raised.

It will be understood that in cases where the shroud comprises a stationary surface and/or where the tobacco is already in the form of a carpet before entering the chamber, the surface of the roller 9 or the belt 90 will have to be sufllciently rough so that at the speed of movement of the surface there will be a sufiicient impelling force exerted on the tobacco to carry it forward, but at the same time it should be appreciated that the surface should be sufliciently smooth to allow it to slip when the tobacco has been packed to a sufiicient density between the shroud and the moving surface.

Where the tobacco is formed as a carpet on the roller 9 before being gathered in the chamber, it will be appreciated that the resulting carpet will not be as good as in the case where the carpet is built up by endwise impact of the tobacco shreds in the chamber, but by gathering the carpet an improved result is obtained, since the gathering of the tobacco will help to reduce the inequalities in the carpet.

What I claim as my invention and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. A method of forming a tobacco carpet which comprises the steps of showering tobacco particles downwardly, intercepting the showered particles and conveying the same laterally at a rate suflicient to form a stream having a depth much less than that desired in the completely formed carpet, and retarding the movement of the stream to cause the trailing particles to impact on the leading particles while confining the stream against appreciable lateral expansion, the extent of retardation of the stream being sufiicient to build up a tobacco carpet of the desired depth.

2. A method of forming a tobacco carpet which comprises the steps of showering tobacco particles downwardly, intercepting the showered particles and conveying the same laterally at a rate suflicient to form a stream having substantially no built-up depth resulting from superpositioning of particles, and retarding the movement of the stream to cause the trailing particles to impact on the leading particles while confining the stream against appreciable lateral expansion, the extent of retardation of the stream being sufficient to build up a tobacco carpet of the desired depth.

3. In apparatus for forming a tobacco carpet, the combination with means for showering tobacco particles downwardly, of a conveyor receiving the showered particles and feeding the same transversely of the shower in a stream, the rate of movement of said conveyor being so controlled with respect to the density of the shower as, to form a stream of substantially less depth than that desired in the completed carpet, means retarding the movement of the conveyed stream, and means adjacent the point of retardation of the stream to confine the same laterally, whereby the impact of the more rapidly moving particles on the retarded particles will eifect compacting thereof to build up the depth of the stream to that required for the completed carpet.

4. In apparatus for forming a tobacco carpet, the combination with means for showering tobacco particles downwardly, of a conveyor receiving the showered particles and feeding the same transversely of the shower in a stream, the rate of movement of said conveyor being so controlled with respect to the density of the shower as to form a stream lacking in pronounced superimpositioning of particles and accordingly of substantially less depth than that desired in the completed carpet, means retarding the movement of the conveyed stream, and means adjacent the point of retardation of the stream to confine the same laterally, whereby the impact of the more rapidly moving particles on the retarded particles will efiect compacting thereof to build up the depth of the stream to that required for the completed carpet.

5. In apparatus for forming a tobacco carpet, the combination with'means for showering tobacco particles downwardly, of a conveyor receiving the showered particles and feeding the same transversely of the shower in a stream, the rate of movement of said conveyor being so controlled with respect to the density of the shower as to fonn a stream of substantially less depth than that desired in the completed carpet, means retarding the movement of the conveyed stream, means adjacent the point of retardation of the stream to confine the same laterally, and means disposed above said stream and supported for movement toward or away from the same during operation of the apparatus for determining and regulating the depth of the carpet, whereby the impact of the more rapidly moving particles on the retarded particles will effect compacting thereof to build up the depth of the stream to that required for the completed carpet.

6. In apparatus for forming a tobacco carpet, the combination with means for showering tobacco particles downwardly, of a conveyor receiving the showered particles and feeding the same transversely of the shower in a stream, said conveyor comprising a rotatable drum having a tobacco receiving peripheral surface, the rate of movement of said conveyor being so controlled with respect to the density of the shower as to form a stream of substantially less depth than that desired in the completed carpet, means retarding the movement of the conveyed stream, and means adjacent the point of retardation of the stream to confine the same laterally, whereby the impact of the more rapidly moving particles on the retarded particles will effect compacting thereof to build up the depth of the stream to that required for the completed carpet.

7. In apparatus for forming a tobacco carpet, the combination with means for showering tobacco particles downwardly, of a conveyor receiving the showered particles and feeding the same transversely of the'shower in a stream, the rate of movement of said conveyor being so controlled with respect to the density of the shower as to form a stream of substantially less depth than that desired in the completed carpet, means retarding the movement of the conveyed stream, means adjacent the point of retardation of the stream to confine the same laterally, whereby the impact of the more rapidly moving particles on the retarded particles will effect compacting thereof to build up the depth of the stream to that required for the completed carpet, and means disposed above said stream adjacent the point of formation of the carpet for limiting the depth of the carpet, said last amed means including a plurality of roll having the axes thereof directed transversely of said stream.

8. In apparatus for forming a tobacco carpet,

the combination with means for showering tobacco particles, of a conveyor receiving the showered particles and feeding the same in a stream, the rate o movement of said conveyor being so controlled with respect to the density of the shower as'to form a stream of substantially less depth than that desired in the completed carpet, means retarding the movement of the conveyed stream, and means adjacent the point of retardation of the stream to confine the same laterally, whereby the impact of the more rapidly moving particles on the retarded particles will eifect compacting thereof to build up the depth of the stream to that required for the completed car- P 9. In apparatus for forming a tobacco carpet, the combination with means for showering tobacco particles, of a conveyor receiving the showered particles and feeding the same in a stream, the rate of movement of said conveyor being so controlled with respect to the density of the shower as to form a stream lacking in pronounced superimpositioning of particles and accordingly of substantially less depth than that desired in the completed carpet, means retarding the movement of the conveyed stream, and means adjacent the point of retardation of the stream to confine the same laterally, whereby the impact of the more rapidly movingparticles on the retarded particles will effect compacting thereof to build up the depth of the stream to that required for the completed carpet.

10. In apparatus for forming a tobacco carpet,

the combination with means to feed tobacco par-- ticles, of a conveyor having a surface to receive said particles and feed them forwardly as a stream, means retarding the movement of the conveyed stream, and means adjacent the point of retardation of the stream to confine the tobacco laterally, a part at least of said means presenting a surface opposed to that of the conveyor to control the thickness of the carpet, whereby the impact of the more rapidly moving particles on the retarded particles will compact the stream and increase the mass thereof, said conveyor having movement relative to said surface opposed to the surface of the conveyor.

11. In apparatus for forming a tobacco carpet, the combination with means to feed tobacco particles, of a conveyor to receive said particles and feed them forwardly as a stream, said conveyor comprising a rotatable drum having a tobacco receiving peripheral surface, means retarding the movement of the conveyed stream, and means adjacent the point of retardation of the stream to confine the tobacco laterally, a part at least of said means presenting a surface opposed to that of the conveyor to control the thickness of the carpet, whereby the impact of the more rapidly moving particles on the retarded particles will compact the stream and increase the mass thereof. said conveyor having movement relative to said surface opposed to the surface of the conveyor.

12. In apparatus for forming a tobacco carpet, the combination with means to feed tobacco particles, of a conveyor having a surface to receive said particles and feed them forwardly as a stream, the rate of movement of said conveyor being so controlled with respect to the density of the tobacco fed thereto as to form a stream of substantially less depth than that desired in the completed carpet, meansretarding the movement of the conveyed stream, and means adjacent the point of retardation of the stream to confine the tobacco laterally, a part at least of said means presenting a surface opposed to that of the conveyor to control the thickness of the carpet, whereby the impact of the more rapidly moving particles on the retarded particles will effect compacting thereof to build up the depth of the stream to that required in the completed carpet, said conveyor having movement relative to said surface opposed to the surface of the conveyor.

13. In apparatus for forming a tobacco carpet, the combination with means to feed tobacco particles, of a conveyor to receive said particles and feed them forwardly as a stream, said conveyor comprising a rotatable drum having a tobacco receiving peripheral surface, the rate of movement of said conveyor being so controlled with respect to the density of the tobacco fed thereto as to form a stream of substantially less depth than that desired in the completed carpet, means retarding the movement of the conveyed stream, and means adjacent the point of retardation of the stream to confine the tobacco laterally, a part at least of said means presenting a surface opposed to that of the conveyor to control the thickness of the carpet, whereby the impact of the more rapidly moving particles on the retarded particles will eflect compacting thereof to build up the depth of the stream to that required for the completed carpet, said conveyor having movement relative to said surface opposed to the surface of the conveyor.

14. In apparatus for forming a tobacco carpet, the combination with means to feed tobacco particles, of a conveyor having a surface to receive said particles and feed them forwardly as a stream, means retarding the movement of the conveyed stream, and means adjacent the point of retardation of the stream to confine the tobacco laterally; a part at least of said means presenting a surface opposed to that of the conveyor to control the thickness of the carpet, whereby the impact of the more rapidly moving particles on the retarded particles will compact the stream and increase the mass thereof, said means and th surface of said conveyor forming a 7 through which the stream is fed, said passage being of sumcient length to extend on either side of the point of compacting of the stream as measured in the direction of movement thereof, said conveyor having movement relative to the opposed surface of the passage.

15. In apparatus for forming a tobacco carpet, the combination with means to feedtobacco particles, of a conveyor to receive said particles and .feed them forwardly as a stream, said conveyor comprising a rotatabledrum having a tobacco receiving peripheral surface, means retarding the movement of the conveyed stream. and means adjacent the point of retardation of the stream to confine the tobacco laterally, a part at least of said means presenting a surface opposed to that of the conveyor to control the thickness of the carpet, whereby the impactof the more rapidly moving particles on the retarded particles will compact the stream and increase the mass thereof to the desired mass, said means and the conveyor surface forming a passage through which the stream is fed, said passage being of sufficient length to extend on either side of the point of compacting of the stream as measured in the di rection of movement thereof, said conveyor surface having movement relative to said opposed surface of the passage.

16. In apparatus for forming a tobacco carpet, the combination with means to feed tobacco particles, of a conveyor having a surface to receive said particles and feed them forwardly as a stream, the rate of movement of said conveyor being so controlled with respect to the density of the tobacco fed thereto as to form a stream of substantially less depth than that desired in the completed carpet, means retarding the movement of the conveyed stream, and means adjacent the points of retardation of the stream to confine the tobacco laterally, a part at least of said means presenting a surface opposed to that of the conveyor to control the thickness of the carpet, whereby the impact of the more rapidly moving particles on the retarded particles will effect compacting thereof to build up the depth of the stream to that required in the completed carpet, said means and the conveyor surface forming a passage throughwhich the stream is fed, said passage being of suflicient length to extend on either side of the point of compacting of the stream as measured in the direction of movement thereof, said conveyor having movement relative to the opposed surface of the passage.

17. In apparatus for forming a tobacco carpet, the combination with means to fed tobacco particles, of a conveyor to receive said particles and feed them forwardly as a stream, said conveyor comprising a rotatable drum having a tobacco receiving peripheral surface, the rate of movement of said conveyor being so controlled with respect to the density of the tobacco fed thereto as to form a stream of substantially less depth than that desired in the completed carpet, means retarding the movement of the conveyed stream, and means adjacent the point of retardation of the stream to confine the tobacco laterally, a part at least of said means presenting a surface opposed to that of the conveyor to control the thickness of the carpet, whereby the impact of the more rapidly moving particles on the retarded particles will effect compacting thereof to build up the depth of the stream to that required for the completed carpet, said means and said conveyor surface forming a passage through which the stream is fed, said passage being of sufficient length to extend on either side of the point of compacting of the stream as measured in the direction of movement thereof, said conveyor having movement relative to the opposed surface of the passage.

18. In apparatus for forming a tobacco carpet,

the combination with means for showering tobacco particles, of a conveyor having a surface for receiving the showered particles and for feeding the same in a stream, the rate of movement of said conveyor surface being so controlled with respect to the density of the shower as to form a.

stream of substantially less depth than that desired in the completed carpet, means retarding the movement of thejconveyed stream, and means adjacent the point of retardation of the stream to confine the tobacco laterally, a part at least of said means presenting a surface opposed to that of the conveyor to control the thickness of the carpet, whereby the impact of the more rapidly moving particles on the retarded particles will effect compacting thereof to build up the depth of the stream to that required for the completed \carpet, said conveyor having movement relative to said surface opposed to the surface of the conveyor.

19. In apparatus for forminga tobacco carpet, the combination with means for showing tobacco particles, of a conveyor having a surface for receiving the showered particles and for feeding the same in a stream, the rate of movement of said conveyor surface being so controlled with respect to the density of the shower as to form a stream lacking in pronounced superimpositioning of particles and accordingly of substantially less depth than that desired in the completed carpet, means retarding the movement of the conveyed stream, and means adjacent the point of retardation of the stream to'confine the tobacco laterally, a part at least of said means presenting a surface opposed to that of the conveyor to control the thickness of the carpet, whereby the impact of the more rapidly moving particles on the retarded particles will effect compacting thereof to build up the depth of the stream to that required for the completed carpet, said conveyor surface having movement relative to said surface opposed to the surface of the conveyor.

' 20. In apparatus for forming a tobacco carpet, the combination with means for showering tobacco particles downwardly, of a conveyor having a surface for receiving the showered particles and for feeding the same transversely of the shower in a stream, the rate of movement of said conveyor surface being so controlled with respect to the density of the shower as to form a stream of substantially less depth than that desired in the completed carpet, means retarding the movement of the conveyed stream, and means adjacent the point of retardation of the stream to confine the tobacco laterally, a part at least of said means presenting a surface opposed to that of the con veyor to control the thickness of the carpet, whereby the impact of the more rapidly moving particles on the retarded particles will effect compacting thereof to build up the depth of the stream to that required for the completed carpet, said conveyor surface having movement relative to said surface opposed to the surface of the conveyor.

21. In apparatus for forming a tobacco carpet, the combination with means for showering tobacco particles downwardly, of a conveyor having a surface for receiving the showered particles and for feeding the same transversely of the shower in a stream, the rate of movement of said conveyor surface being so controlled with respect to the density of the shower as to form a stream lacking in pronounced superimpositioning of particles and accordingly of. substantially less depth than that desired in the completed carpet, means and means adjacent the point of retardation of V the stream to confine the tobacco laterally, a part at least of said means presenting a surface opposed to that of the conveyor to control the thickness of the carpet. whereby the impact of the more rapidly moving particles on the retarded particles will 'eifect compacting thereof to build up.the depth'of the stream to that required for the completed carpet. said conveyor surface having movement relative to said surface opposed to the surface of the conveyor.

22. In apparatus for forming a tobacco carpet. the combination with means for showering tobacco particles downwardly, of a conveyor having a surface for receiving the showered particles and for feeding the same transversely of the shower in a stream, the rate of movement of said conveyor surface being so controlled with respect to.

the density of the shower as to form a stream of substantially less-depth than that desired in the completed carpet, means retarding the movement of the conveyed stream, and means adjacent the point of retardation of the stream to confine the tobacco laterally. a part at least of said means presenting a surface opposed to that of the conveyor to control the thickness of the carpet, said means being supported for-movement toward or away from the stream during operation of the apparatus for determining and regulating the depth of the carpet, whereby the impact of the more rapidly moving particles on the retarded particles will eflect compacting thereof to build up the depth of the stream to that required for the completed carpet, said conveyor surface having movement relative to said surface opposed to the surface of the conveyor. I

23. In apparatus for forming a tobacco carpet, the combination with means for showering tobacco particles downwardly, of a conveyor having a surface for receiving the showered particles and for feeding the same transversely of the shower in a stream, said conveyor comprising a rotatable drum having 'a tobacco receiving peripheral surface, the rate of movement of said conveyor surface being so controlled with respect to the density of the shower as to form a stream of substantially less depth than that desired in the completed carpet, means retarding the movement of the conveyed stream, and means adjacent the point of retardation of the stream to confine the" 24. In apparatus for forming a tobacco carpet.

the combination of opposed elements arranged to 8880 opposite sides of a tobacco stream, one of said elements comprising a conveyor to feed the tobacco forwardly, and one at least of said elements being movable towards and away from the opposed element during operation of the apparatus, and means to retard the movement of the tobacco when passing between the opposed elements whereby the stream is subjected to end-- wise compacting to form a tobacco carpet.

WALTER nvmmm, Moms. 

